Chokecherry did not bloom this year but looks healthy. Do they bloom every year?
Yes, a Chokecherry normally blooms each year in the later part of May.
Did you experience a late frost that may have effected the buds?
Here are some articles with more information.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/chokecherry/chokecherries-in-the-landscape.htm
https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/chiwonlee/plsc368/student/papers99/mbjerke/index.htm
I have a client who hates the height of her Schubert Chokecherry and would have preferred a shrub in that location. If I cut down the tree will the suckers fulfill her desire for a shrub or will I kill it off entirely?
Actually, these can become quite invasive in some areas. Trimming it to the desired height would definitely yield the results that you are looking for. It is best to do any major pruning during dormancy, or at least when it is not actively growing.
I am writing a children's novel with planned sequels. The books are set in Kentucky. Are Chokecherries toxic to children who may eat the berries. Somewhere I remember hearing about small children in Wisconsin stuffing themselves with the sweet berries and the mother using cream which she spooned into their mouths to coat their stomachs so they would stop coughing and choking from the astringent berries. Is this a correct scenario for the 1880's, and would this work. Apparently all the children survived though they didn't eat the berries again. I understand the berries can be used for jam and jellies, but there is a pit in the center of each berry that can be toxic. Thank you for your help as I may use this information in a sequel. I also had the chokecherry situated at a corner of the farm growing up behind a hedgerow (roots and rocks piled to mark the boundary of the field). I realized that this would encourage deer to come and they would then go after the farmer's corn, so I have positioned the Chokecherries near a marshy area about a mile from the farm. This marsh also plays into the novel.
This is correct. Chokecherries contain hydrocyanic acid in the leaves stems and pits. This breaks down into cyanide in the body.
They are called chokecherries because they are very bitter. It is unlikely a child would ingest enough to cause more than a tummy ache.
We have two choke cherry trees in our back yard and they are the only trees we have in the back. As soon as the trees put on leaves they start falling to the ground. We have leaves on the ground all summer. Such a problem. What causes this to happen and how can we correct the problem? We live in Kentucky.
Numerous insects attack grapevine leaves, including leafhoppers, spider mites and skeletonizers. Severe spider mite infestations turn entire leaves bronze or yellow, while large leafhopper populations cause premature leaf drop. Manage both of these pests with insecticidal soap, taking care to thoroughly spray the undersides of leaves. Western grapeleaf skeletonizer moth larvae start feeding on foliage as soon as they hatch. The small pests continue feeding on leaf tissue until just the large veins remain. Vine defoliation typically occurs around midsummer, leaving the fruit susceptible to sunburn. Treat skeletonizer pests with a commercial spray that contains spinosad.
I wonder if these plants will be in symbiosis or detrimental to each other
I would make sure to give them plenty of room. They will all be competing for the same nutrients and space, so try and give them as much space as possible.
This spring we had a hard freeze after my chokecherry tree had its white flowers. Now the leaves are purple and there are sap balls oozing on the bark. What do I do? Its never done this before. Tree is from 5-8 years old.
This is likely a Eriophyid mite.
The mite damage is mostly cosmetic, and it typically won't stress the tree or plant to severely.
I recommend cleaning up any leaves or foliage under the tree and dispose of.
Then next spring spray the trees with a dormant oil spray prior to bud break to smother out the little darlings that might have survived. If it's a particularly severe infestation a second dose of a horticultural or insecticidal soap spray just as the leaves are beginning to unfurl should do the trick.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/chokecherry/chokecherries-in-the-landscape.htm
Schubert chokecherry tree fell in storm. Now, far reaching roots, continually send up shoots. How to eliminate????
Unfortunately there is no easy way. Like poplar and other species with a prolific suckering tendency from lateral roots, its a survival mechanism.
The non-chemical, mechanical method is to cut or grub out (dig) each sucker as it appears. Eventually without leaf surface and capacity for photosynthesis the plant will die.
Another way is to hire a tree or landscape service (or do it yourself) to dig out all the lateral roots that you can find, or grind them out with a stump grinding machine.
The chemical option is to spot spray with a systemic herbicide (like RoundUp Concentrate) when a sucker appears with new foliage. Chasing and poisoning each new sucker will eventually stop new growth.
With either of these methods you may have to keep at it for a year or two before the new suckering slows down. The herbicide option will be most effective because of the systemic property. But glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup can translocate through root grafts to desirable trees or shrubs in the vicinity. So use with discretion.